Portrait of a Hero

Night begins to fall. The shadows in the city lengthen as the natural light begins to fade. With the coming of shadows comes also the true terror from them. The darkness brings out the evil workers throughout the city. But they are not the only ones to come out at night. In one shadow we find another figure. He is the protector of the night; he is found where protection is needed most. In this shadow he is crouching: calm, but alert. He is suited in a dark outfit; hiding him well in the shadows, and completely covering him from head to foot. A mask shields his face and a cape rests on his shoulders. This concealment of his person serves a two-fold purpose. In part it protects his identity from being used against him who would want to hurt him, especially by hurting those whom he loves. But more importantly it is to hide from himself when duty is calling. In this outfit he is no longer concerned with self interests, but solely at attending the need at hand. Duty is to be his mind's one focus. There are, however, three other things on his mind that are a constant reminder of who he is, and often a distraction of what he is to do. One of these things is a fear; two of these things are pains, and all of these are of love.

By now it is a dark time, yet he remains still: constantly watching with concern, though his masked face is always stern and calm. His right hand rests for a while on his belt, which holds several tools of his. These tools, though sophisticated and useful, and only tools, and are practically useless in less able hands. And though he possesses talents that could only have been given by God Himself, these talents also are only tools. He is what he is now because he has set his mind to become effective. Hours have been sacrificed, slaved, and committed to exercise, practice, and concentration to accomplish his goal. The time to use all this is near at hand as his ears begin to hear the cries of the innocent. He can hear them, but he cannot see them. At this point, he can only imagine the horrors that are connected with the screams and shrieks that he hears. His imagination is usually not far from the truth. This is his first pain. It is the pain of evil and perversity of mankind that results in these horrendous acts. Aside from duty, this pain is a reason for him being a protector. His love of good in a crooked world drives him to be so.

He is almost ready to go, but there is one thing he must do before he sets off. From his vantage he looks to a lighted window in a small apartment building. In it a fair woman is tucking in you little boy to bed. She then kneels by the bed as they pray for their father and husband to be safe; who, as he looks on, prays the same for them. This is his great fear. It is the fear that his family is in a world where evil lives. These are his chosen loved ones, without whom, life itself would be a death. He fights on the front line knowing that anything that gets past him is one step closer to his family.

He stands and prepares himself. The cries for help have been made and he will answer. He pauses once more and he places his hand on his heart, where also rests the symbol by which he is often known. That symbol was made to show terror to the evil workers who oppress the innocent. To the innocent it was to represent the protection and freedom from the terror of evil. But to our hero, it represents the city which he loves so much, second only to God and family. It represents a people and a way of life that is free to them. Yet that symbol alone does not strike enough terror to stop evil. Sadder still, it is not so cherished by the innocent as it deserves. Too often has it been despised and scorned by those who disapprove of the violence done in its name; only for those same people to turn around and blame it for evils that it did not stop. This is his second pain. It is a pain that a people he loves so much, and risks life daily for, should mock him and protest him for what he is doing. It is for these people he now heads out into the night.